*************
I have a little mantra,
I know how to spell
You can repeat after me:
You are loved
More than you know.

************

Night

It was late in night but sleep was far from the eyes of few worried parents. They have sent their children to bed hours ago but they couldn't sleep themselves. It was precise 11:30 in the clock when Saumya moved to Sid's room unable to sleep due to the tension. She opened the closed door gently to watch her son starring at the ceiling thoughtfully looking kind of oblivious to the world around him.

"you know I thought you were sleeping right now, young man" Saumya stated chidingly as she entered the room and sat on the bed ruffling Sid's hair.

"I just couldn't sleep mumma" the teen accepted sighing softly as he sat resting his back on the bed rest

"too much in the head" Saumya asked her son smiling softly watching him pout lightly

"just concerned about Kashi, ma"he replied not meeting her eyes

"that's not all going in your mind young man, tell me what's really bothering you well beside kashi's condition" Saumya asked her son

"mum, you know I hate everyone that threatens Ansh and Kashi but their is this girl I thought I hated but I didn't I mean she apologized to me today and I kind of accepted it. we chatted for sometime and she seemed nice to me, I just don't know.........what's going in my life. I mean should have been with Kashi that time but I was with her as she wanted to talk to me, I'm just so confused right now mom" Sid stated frustrated not knowing what was going in his heart and his mind, his mind said he should hate her but his heart said she wasn't that bad. he shouldn't hate her.

Saumya smiled understanding his dilemma, the dilemma of a guy unable to sort out his feelings. the dilemma of  heart and mind for loving the enemy .

"well, who is this girl son and what did she say to Ansh that you want to hate her" Saumya questioned him smiling slyly.

"Not important mum" Sid answered nonchalantly

"Ohk....ohk, let me tell you something  than" Saumya told him smiling softly as she remembered some of her happy moments

"You know when I was in college I hated this guy so much cause he always teased me on my wait and my food preferences. I hated him a lot or so I thought" Saumya said smiling softly remembering the past as her son listen to her with apt attention

"He was a bully, I thought him to be a big jerk, a rich spoiled brat but turned out inside his macho tought image their was a man hidden.....it was our annual fest and we all were performing. He was singing something that day and I remember watching him cry hugging his brother for not coming to hear him sing......that time I thought atleast he cares for someone then I meet him again crying in front of Lord Ganesh's temple as his brother was injured and in critical condition and I sat with him consoling him that night.......next time I found him crying because a girl was stalking him so badly that he was scared......He was such a crybaby you know always crying like a baby. He was a baby kind hearted but with the bad boy outter shell just like a coconut hard from outside, soft from outside and I never hated him I just thought I did but I never actually did. You will be surprised to know that I didn't fall for macho image or his heroic acts....I fell for the crybaby....who will cry whenever something was troubling him.....I fell for his rare kind gestures and still we fought like Tom n Jerry everyday over small things yet we couldn't ever see each other upset." Saumya said fondly remembering her crybaby and not the Rudra Singh Oberoi.

"Than why aren't you both together mom" Sid asked her confused it was the first time he was hearing about the man his mother loved and he couldn't help but ask her this.

"That's the funny thing about love Sid, you can love someone with your whole heart but that doesn't mean they will love you too. It easy to fall in love but that doesn't mean the person you love will also fall for you. Love is heart breakingly beautiful. It's like a beautiful tragedy" Saumya told her son in her love angel voice

"And you never loved someone again after him" Sid questioned her but didn't ask her the name of the man she loved. He didn't need to know that he was happy with what he was learning  but still confused with his feelings. Does he like her but he hasn't known her for long.

"Yes, I did......I fell in love with you and didn't have enough time or space for anyone else " Saumya answered laughing watching Sid's expression

"But mumma"

"No buts mister, its late you should definety sleep now if you want to go to that shoot of yours tomorrow...
..... without dark circles"Saumya added as an after thought

"Mum...stay na" Sid asked softly not ready to let her leave yet

"I'll be here when you open your eyes" Saumya promised him as she hummed and ruffled his hair resting  her back on his head rest as he placed his head on her lap.
She hummed this song

Aa leke chalun tujhko
Ek aise desh mein
Aa leke chalun tujhko
Ek aise desh mein
Milti hain jahan khushiyan
Pariyon ke bhes mein
Milti hain jahan khushiyan
Pariyon ke bhes mein
Pariyon ke bhes mein..
Aa leke chalun tujhko

************************

It was all dark and bloody around her. She watched the accident happen again in slow motion this time.she experienced the whole force of fear bubbling inside her and the raw pain that hit her with full force afterwards. She felt the suffocation and daze. She saw them coming again to kill her as she lied their helpless. The only thought going in her head was no she can't let it happen, her family will be devastated. She needed to go back home.

And so she woke up screaming no,sweat beads forming on her forehead as she felt warm hands resting on her back and holding her hand,soothing familiar voice whispering to her it was okay......
She was home.

She looked beside her to see her parents sitting beside her on the bed. Well perks of having a queen size bed, worry etched on their faces as they looked at her with warm concern filled eyes.

"Bad dream......Not sleeping" were the words that stubbornly escaped her lips.

And her father grinned at her while her mother gave her an exasperated look smiling it was her habit to deny sleeping after going through a nightmare.

"Bad dream, want to share it sweetheart and lie down" her mother ordered her

" just a flashback of today's accident mum and I'm still not sleeping." She stated stubbornly

"Ok, don't sleep....how about a story" her father asked her with a half smirk

"Story sound goods" she affirmed

"You know once your mum shot me and then scolded me" her dad told her mischeviously

"That was a mistake, I told you " her mother stated in a suffering tone

"Still doesn't excuse the fact that you shot me" her dad retorted while she asked sounding more excited than she should be "when this happen....dad tell me na"

"It was on our first meet" an excited Rv began narrating the tale

"I was undercover that time and so was your mum. She had taken the attire of a bar dancer and I was in the outfit of the local gangster. We were both after the same man. I was talking to  collect info being a potential customer when your mum's cover blew up because of me I may add  and open firing start. Your mum was powerful and smart enough to handle them all alone. She thought I was in their gang and shot me. But that can also possibly be because of......"

"You can tell her this another time,let sleep consume her" Omisha stated watching Kashi try to keep her eyes open

"Naah, I'm not sleepy....I'm fine" Kashi said stubbornly. She loved hearing about her parents. She loved watching them bicker. They were so in love. She hoped one day she will also find someone like her dad. Someone who will love her wholeheartedly for what she is

"I can see that sleep, love" Omisha lulled Kashi to give into her sleep

"I will sleep with you" Kashi stated again stubbornly she can latter blame it on meds but she wanted to sleep with her parent's.

Smiling, Omisha lied on Kashi's one side while Rv lied on the other side. She patted Kashi's head gently as she hummed to her

H

o chaand chahe aadha
Ho phir bhi roshni (x2)
Umeed jo na chhute
Har baat hai bani
Raato ke sur se nikle
Subah ki ragini
Lori tujhe sunau
Lori tujhe sunau
Bachapan ki ek mein
Lori tujhe sunau
Bachapan ki ek mein

*********************
Mallika went to check on Savi only to find him going through a photo album.

A smile playing on his lips as he gazed at the pics with love filled eyes.

Mallika cleared her throat gaining Savi's attention. He looked at his mom with a sheepish smile while Mallika smiled back asking him "isn't it way past your bed time,mister"

"Can't sleep mum" he answered softly hidding the pain in his eyes but from when did a mother miss her child's misery

"What are you looking at dear" she asked him as she sat beside him on the bed.

Savi showed her the photo album. She smiled watching two young kids playing with a toddler.

"It's Ansh,Kashi and you" Mallika said softly watching the small kids playing totally oblivious to the world around them

Mallika started narrating the stories behind the photos to Savi who listened attentively grinning ear to ear, hearing about the situations they got in.

Sid entered Savi's room in search of his wife and found his wife and son laughing.

Feeling happy watching the beautiful scene in front of him. He also entered the room asking them "what's happening here without me and Savi don't you have college tomorrow"

"I don't wanna go, can I not go please mumma" he asked Mallika with a pitiful expression

"You don't have to go" Mallika said moving her hand through his hair as Savi grinned happily.

"Thus is the pic when all four disappeared for the whole day isn't it" Sid asked watching the pic of four tired kids sleeping on each other covered in paint.

"Yeah" Mallika answered grinning

"What happened" Savi asked eager to know

Sidika laughed and narrated to him, the one time four of them climbed the top floor and settled in the terrace garden behind a large pot. Painting a thermocol house and their family. So engrossed in their work that they forgot the rest of the world while down stairs it was all chaos everyone searching for the missing children.

In the evening when a depressed Taani went to terrace again. She sat in the garden and noticed a pink sock clad feet peeking from behind the large pot. She went their to investigate and found four munchkins sleeping in a dog pile with paint all over them  and a painted thermocol house resting next to them.

Sidika laughed now remembering that day but that day they were so terrified not finding the kids.

They looked at the sleepy Savi and Mallika continued caressing his hair till he fell asleep.

Sidika left his room kissing Savi's forehead and whispering good night my Prince.

Milti hai jaha khushiyan
Pariyon ke bhesh mein
Milti hai jaha kushiyan
Pariyon ke bhesh mein
Aa leke chalu tujhko..

*********************
Sleep was the last thing on Taani's mind as she went to check on Ansh. She opened the door gently and peek inside the room to see Rey already in the room chatting with Ansh.

She entered the room smiling watching both the laughing boys.

"What are you talking about" Taani asked them softly as she settled beside Ansh ruffling his hair

"Buddy here was telling me about Dad's college life and his over possessive and protective brother Avatar" Ansh said smiling gleefully

Taani looked at Rey who looked at her with an innocent expression, shaking her head at his antics. She asked Ansh "Oh really, what did your buddy tell you till now??"

Her gaze was on Rey as she questioned Ansh with a perfectly arched eyebrow

"Many things" replied an excited Ansh

"Many things,alright" Taani stated still looking at rey who gave her a sheepish look.

"Yeah, you know ma buddy right now was telling me about the whelem boy's" an excited Ansh stated happily while Rey face palmed looking at Taani

"Whelem boys huh, what was your buddy telling you" Taani asked him

"He was telling me how they defeated the whelem's in the basketball match and how brilliant captain dad was and how he was also a superb basketball player and how much of jerks whelems really were too arrogant and I'm really happy we don't have a vp like khusboo man even if we had we have Sharon as director. She will handle it and never put a ban on dancing for sure" Ansh stated somelines happily some lines thoughtfully and some grumpily.

"And that if we really love someone or something with all our heart then we will do everything in our hands to make that thing stay. We will give our all in that fight even if it ends us,the thing we love should stay. Love gives us courage to make the impossible possible like dad's team were not basketball players but they defeated professional basketball players just to lift the dance ban because they loved dancing. Like the freedom fighters died for this country to make sure that our country stays even if they don't make it. Love gives us power to sacrifice ourselves for the thing we love. Love gives us strength to go through anything for our loved ones. Love is a power whose true potential no one really knows"  Ansh stated in philosophical mode making taarey look at each other and then at Ansh.

Love really made people go thorugh extremes to make sure that their loved ones survive. Love is power. Love made a mother sacrifice herself for her child's safety. Love makes people die with a smile like Aniyam. Swayam could live but he died with Anika what give people the power to happily embrace death when everyone is afraid of death. They looked at the portrait of Aniyam with Ansh resting on the wall. If Swaym was alive right now then this story would be different.

"So your buddy was giving you philosophical lessons, huh" Taani asked Ansh trying to push away the what if thoughts going in her head

"Naah, he was telling me awesome stories. My fav till now is Vicky uncle and Nil uncle planning to kidnap buddy and involving dad in the plan and their was the locker room dostana scenes" Ansh stated happily as Taani looked at Rey again

"Locker room and dostana,huh" Taani questioned Rey who gulped down nervously feeling her gaze on him.

"Ansh buddy, its late...You should sleep now" Rey stated diverting the topic

"Yeah, its late. You should sleep now Ansh......." Taani stated supporting Rey's statement

Ansh lied down shrugging his shoulder and placed his head on Taani's lap.

"Ma, sing something na" Ansh asked Taani childishly while Taani nodded caressing his head. He closed his eyes as soon as he got the affirmation from Taani as she began humming softly.

Mein aasam ko khidkiyon se
Ghar mein laayi hu (x2)
Saare ke saare taare
Yahan chunke laayi hu
Sapno mein rang man ke
Yuhi bharte aayi hu
Har dard bhool jaau (x2)
Yuhi khel khel mein
Har dard bhool jaau
Yuhi khel khel mein

Sleep consumed him as soon as he closed his eyes.

Taani sat beside him caressing his hairs and looking at his peaceful  face.

"Always and forever, love" Taani promised kissing his forehead.

With Rey's help she made Ansh lie properly on his pillow and left the room looking at Ansh peacefully sleeping form and Aniyam's smiling face.

"Good night, my star" Rey whispered before leaving the room

************************

Ananya was sitting in her old room in Neelam Mahal.

Starring with longing filled eyes at the full moon.

The full moon shining brightly in the dark night sky when their was a tentative knock on her door

"Andar aa jaiye (come in)" shouted Annanya breaking her gaze away from the beautiful moon to stare at the door.

She found her moon standing there in her pajamas,her pillow and blanket tucked under her arms. Sleep clear in her eyes as she looked at her pouting slightly.

"Mum can I sleep with you" she asked her softly looking around her room

"Sure, climb in" she told her daughter making space for her on her large bed

"Can't sleep" she asked her softly when Aru was lying on the bed, keeping her head on her lap

"No.....I can't sleep in New places, sleep just don't come" Aru admitted softly, irritated that she just can't fall asleep in New places, she was always afraid of sleeping alone in the dark.

"Oh, do you like it here" Ananya asked her knowing Aru didn't want to talk about why she can't sleep in New places

"Yes, grandpa and grandma were really nice. Grandpa promised that I can visit any place I like and also ride the horses and he will ask someone to take me to visit the village tomorrow and I can also ride the camels" an excited Aru chirped

Annanya hummed in reply.she was really shocked by her parents behaviour with Aru. They accepted Aradhya so easily, they showered her with love and affection.not once showing their prejudice of a girl child.  But watching Aru's happy face she was happy. She doesn't know what changed her parents thought process but she was happy that her daughter was being treated with respect and love.

"Mum, Sumer bhaisa stated that the top floor of this palace is haunted and no one is allowed to go there." Aru asked her timidly remembering the horror stories her Sumer bhaiya told her

Ananya chuckled hearing this. Well, that explain half of the reason why sleep denied gracing her.

"No, their is nothing like that no ghost resides in this place." Ananya answered still chuckling

"Pakka mom" Aradhya asked her still not sure. The ghost stories were really scary and after all Rajasthan is also famous for its haunted places

"Pakka after all I played in this palace when I was a child. I didn't find any ghost then now if a ghost started residing here when I was away then I don't know" Ananya said teasingly

"Mom" Aru whined hearing this while Ananya laughed

"Okay, you know their was this song my mum used to sing for me,wanna hear it" Ananya asked Aru who nodded

Ananya started humming caressing Aru's hairs and patting her forehead. She sometimes looked at the moon in the sky and some time gazed at the moon lying on her lap.

Dena tu mann ki shakti
Maalik mere mujhe
Dena tu mann ki shakti
Maalik mere mujhe
Meri katha vyatha
Hai sab pata tujhe

Main jab bhi dagmaagaun
Tu thaamna mujhe
Chhode hain swapn saare
Chhode hain swapn saare
Teri dekh rekh mein
Chhode hain swapn saare
Teri dekh rekh mein

Milti hain jahan khushiyan
Pariyon ke bhes mein
Milti hain jahan khushiyan
Pariyon ke bhes mein
Pariyon ke bhes mein..
Aa leke chalun tujhko..

Lalala.. mmm…

Okay long update guys,
Hope you enjoyed the part
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